Public Health Education In Schools has become an increasingly relevant topic in the PTE examination, particularly in the Summarize Written Text section. This topic not only tests the candidates’ comprehension skills but also assesses their ability to summarize essential information concisely and clearly. Below, we offer a high-quality practice task for Summarize Written Text and provide model answers across different scoring bands to help candidates prepare with confidence.
Sample PTE Summarize Written Text Task: Public Health Education in Schools
Public health education is widely regarded as an essential component of school curricula due to its focus on promoting healthy lifestyles among students. By teaching children and adolescents about nutrition, physical activity, and the dangers of such behaviors as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, schools play a pivotal role in shaping future public health outcomes. Research has shown that students who receive health education are more likely to adopt healthier habits, leading to a reduction in cases of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.
Furthermore, health education not only benefits individual students but also entire communities. Well-informed students are more likely to share knowledge with family members, helping to create a culture of awareness. Schools that include comprehensive health education programs also contribute to raising awareness about mental health issues, enabling students to recognize early warning signs of stress or depression and seek help more promptly.
Summarize the paragraph in one sentence.
High-Scoring Model Answer (80-90 band)
Public health education in schools promotes healthier lifestyles, not only reducing risks of diseases like obesity and diabetes among students but also raising community awareness, including about mental health, through comprehensive education.
Analysis:
- Content: Fully captures the key ideas of both physical and mental health education and its positive effects.
- Form: Perfectly complies with the form (total words ≤75).
- Grammar: No errors, demonstrating a well-structured and complex sentence.
- Vocabulary: Appropriate academic vocabulary used (e.g., “promotes healthier lifestyles,” “raising community awareness”).
- Spelling: No issues identified.
Mid-Scoring Model Answer (65-79 band)
Public health education in schools helps students live healthier lives and reduce the chances of diseases like obesity while also teaching them about important mental health topics.
Analysis:
- Content: Addresses both physical and mental health education but lacks depth in terms of broader community impact.
- Form: Within required word count.
- Grammar: Sufficient, though slightly simpler sentence structure compared to higher band response.
- Vocabulary: Adequate but lacks the complexity of the high-scoring answer (e.g., “helps students live healthier lives”).
- Spelling: Correct.
Low-Scoring Model Answer (50-64 band)
Schools teach students about health to help prevent diseases and mental problems.
Analysis:
- Content: Too vague and does not cover the full scope of the provided text, missing critical aspects such as community outreach and specific examples like obesity or diabetes.
- Form: Slightly short (lacking details).
- Grammar: Grammatically acceptable, but sentence structure is very simple.
- Vocabulary: Limited vocabulary with general terms like “health” and “mental problems.”
- Spelling: Correct.
Vocabulary and Grammar Focus
To perform well in the PTE Summarize Written Text section, it’s crucial to have a solid understanding of both vocabulary and grammar. Here are 10 useful terms found in the sample text and their meanings:
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Promote /prəˈmoʊt/: Verb – To encourage or support the development of something.
Example: The school promotes healthy living by offering public health education. -
Adopt /əˈdɑːpt/: Verb – To take on new habits or behaviors.
Example: Students are more likely to adopt healthier eating habits after the health lessons. -
Obesity /oʊˈbiːsəti/: Noun – The condition of being grossly overweight.
Example: Public health education helps reduce obesity rates among students. -
Outcomes /ˈaʊtkʌmz/: Noun – The results or effects of an action or situation.
Example: Positive health education alters public health outcomes positively. -
Awareness /əˈwɛrnəs/: Noun – Knowledge or perception of a situation or fact.
Example: Schools increase students’ awareness of both physical and mental health. -
Culture /ˈkʌltʃər/: Noun – The ideas, customs, and social behaviors of a particular group.
Example: Health education helps build a culture of wellness in the community. -
Comprehensive /ˌkɒmprɪˈhɛnsɪv/: Adjective – Including all elements or aspects.
Example: Schools must provide comprehensive health programs that cover both physical and mental health. -
Mental Health /ˈmɛntl hɛlθ/: Noun – A person’s condition with regard to their emotional and psychological well-being.
Example: Including mental health education in schools leads to better stress management among students. -
Community /kəˈmjuːnɪti/: Noun – A social group of any size, sharing common interests.
Example: Schools act as a fundamental pillar for building community health awareness. -
Prevention /prɪˈvɛnʃən/: Noun – The action of stopping something from happening or arising.
Example: Education is key to the prevention of chronic diseases like heart disease.
Conclusion
Public health education in schools is a critical subject that makes regular appearances in the PTE Summarize Written Text section. The ability to summarize information effectively will not only enhance your performance in this section but also boost your overall academic skills. Mastering the art of summarization involves understanding the text fully, using appropriate vocabulary, and writing concise, grammatically correct sentences. For another valuable perspective, you can learn more about the importance of mental health support services in schools and how it closely ties into public health education. Continue practicing with multiple examples and explore more essential topics like urban poverty and social inclusion policies.
